​CO2-free high-purity ethylene from electroreduction of CO2 with 10% solar-to-carbon efficiencies

 Researchers at the  University of Illinois Chicago has discovered a way to convert 100% of carbon dioxide captured from industrial exhaust into ethylene, a key building block for plastic products. C2H4 has a prominent global market size at $230 billion, the majority of which is attributed to its use in polymer industries for synthesizing the most prevalent plastics such as polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene. The process can convert up to 6 metric tons of carbon dioxide into 1 metric ton of ethylene, recycling almost all carbon dioxide captured. Because the system runs on electricity, the use of renewable energy can make the process carbon negative. In UIC's approach, an electric current is passed through a cell, half of which is filled with captured carbon dioxide, the other half with a water-based solution. An electrified catalyst draws charged hydrogen atoms from the water molecules into the other half of the unit separated by a membrane, where they combine with charged carbon atoms from the carbon dioxide molecules to form ethylene.

Photo Aditya Prajapati et al, CO2-free high-purity ethylene from electroreduction of CO2 with 4% solar-to-ethylene and 10% solar-to-carbon efficiencies, Cell Reports Physical Science (2022). ​https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101053


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